8th February - St Jerome Emiliani

Patron saint of abandoned children and orphans.

Jerome Emiliani was born in Venice in 1481. He didn’t care much about God because he had his own strength and the strength of his soldiers and weapons. He ended up in prison where he found God. He returned to Venice and studied for the priesthood. People were still suffering so Jerome devoted himself to serving the poor. He felt a special call to help the orphans. He became ill but saw this as a sign of how little the ambitions of the world mattered. He died at the age of 56.

Challenge: Take some time to think about your ambitions. Are they want God wants for you?